TARRYTOWN, N.Y. – State police are cracking down on drunk driving during Super Bowl weekend.

Police have planned additional DWI checkpoints on the New York State Thruway between Friday and Monday as part of the annual Stop DWI Crackdown initiative.

“Many New Yorkers will get together with friends and family during this Super Bowl season, and we encourage all to enjoy these gatherings,” Thruway Authority Executive Thomas J. Madison said. “But remember that drinking and driving don’t mix, and always have a designated driver in your starting line-up.”

Drunk drivers cause 17,000 deaths annually in the U.S. And more than 30 percent of fatal crashes involve alcohol, according to the New York State Police. Last year's initiative fielded 13 DWI arrests and 1,794 tickets, police said.

“We say over and over again, don’t drink and drive. If you drink and drive, your chances of coming into contact with a trooper increase,” said State Police Troop T Sgt. Thomas Ferritto. “Yesterday, today and tomorrow, safety is priority one on the Thruway.”